Handle lock attachment

ABSTRACT

A handle lock attachment securable to the casing of a moldedcase electric circuit breaker and having a pivotable handle locking member securable either by a screw or a padlock in interfering relationship with operation of the handle of the circuit breaker.

United States Patent Inventor Roger D. Curl Cedar Rapids. Iowa Appl. No 857,262 Filed Aug. 1, I969 Patented July 27, 1971 Assignee Square D Company Park Ridge, [IL

HANDLE LOCK ATTACHMENT 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 70/203, 200/42 T, 74/526 Int. Cl ..H01h 27/00, 005g 5/00 Field of Search 70/203,

202, I93, 212, 2l I; 200/42, 44; 74/526, 566;

l,05-l ,948 1,344,958 1,392,316 1,676.97l 2,523,943 3,055,995

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/l9l3 6/1920 l0/l92l 7/l928 9/1950 9/1962 Fisher Platt Finch et al. Weaver Choppa... Snow Primary Examiner-Albert G. Craig, Jr.

Attorneys-Harold J. Rathbun and Paul] J Rose 7 ABSTRACT: A handle lock attachment securable to the easing of a molded-case electric circuit breaker and having a pivotable handle locking mernber securable either by a screw or a padlock in interfering relationship with operation of the handle of the circuit breaker.

PATENTED JUL2 71971 FIG.

INVK R.

ROGER D. C L

HANDLE LOCK ATTACHMENT This application relates generally to handle lock attachments for molded-case electric circuit breakers, and more particularly to handle lock attachment having a pivotable handle locking member securable by either a screw or a padlock in interfering relationship with operation of the handle of the circuit breaker from OFF to ON position or vice versa.

In the drawing, FIG. 1 is a perspective view ofa handle lock attachment constructed in accordance with the invention and mounted on a front portion ofa circuit breaker fragmentarily shown;

FIG. 2 is a view of the handle lock attachment as it would appear looking toward the front surface of the circuit breaker in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a view looking in the direction of arrows 33 of FlG.2.

The handle lock attachment of this invention is particularly useful with circuit breakers of the type disclosed in US. Pat. Nos. 3,341,791, 3,345,591, and 3,355,685.

With reference to the drawing, a handle lock attachment l constructed in accordance with the invention includes a frame member 12 and a handle locking member .14 pivotally mounted thereon. The frame member 12 has aplanar portion 120 from which two parallel spaced leg portions 12b extend substantially at right angles in the same direction. Each leg portion 12b has a pair of spaced holes 12c each of which receives a drive screw 16 for securing the frame member 12 to the casing ofa circuit breaker 18 having an operating handle 20.

The handle locking member 14 is generally L-shaped and has a leg portion 140 pivotally mounted adjacent its free end on the planar portion 120 by means of a rivet 22 extending respectively through holes (not shown) in the planar portion 120 and in the leg portion 140, and another leg portion 14b disposable in interfering relationship with operation of the handle and securable in the interfering relationship by screw 24 receivable in a hole (not shown) in the planar portion 12a and in a hole 140 in the leg portion 14a when the hole 14c is aligned with the corresponding hole (not shown) in the planar portion 12a, one of these holes being threaded and the other having clearance with the screw 24.

The planar portion 120 is provided with a hole 121! for receiving a hasp 26 ofa padlock 28 to lock the member 14 in interfering relationship with operation of the handle 20 in a more secure manner than by the screw 24 alone thereby to prevent unauthorized operation ofthe circuit breaker handle.

lclaim:

1. For use with an electric circuit breaker including an elongated molded case having an elongated aperture therein extending longitudinally thereof and an operating handle pivotally mounted in the case and extending outwardly thereof through the aperture, a handle lock attachment comprising a frame member having an elongated planar portion and a pair of spaced leg portions extending from one side thereof substantially at right angles thereto adjacent opposite ends thereof, each leg portion being securable to the case to mount the frame member thereon with the leg portions extending transversely thereof and disposed respectively on opposite sides of the aperture and with the planar portion disposed adjacent and generally parallel to the path of movement of the operating handle, a generally IL-shaped handle locking member having a pair of leg portions extending substantially at right angles to each other, a free end portion of one leg portion of the handle locking member being pivotally secured to one end portion of the planar portion of the frame member on the one side thereof from which the: pair ofspaced leg portions extend and the other leg portion of the handle locking member being disposable in interfering relationship with operation of the operating handle when the frame member is mounted on the case, the planar portion of the frame member having first hole and the one leg portion of the handle locking member having a hole aligned with the first hole in the planar portion when the frame member is mounted on the case and the other leg portion of the handle locking member is disposed in the interfering relationship with operation of the operating handle, and fastening means insertable through the holes when they are aligned to thereby secure the other leg portion of the handle locking member the interfering relationship with operation of the operating handing when the frame member is mounted on the case, the planar portion of the frame member having a second hole for receiving a hasp of a padlock to more positively secure the other leg portion of the handle locking member in the interfering relationship with operation of the operating handle when the frame is mounted in the case.

2. A handle lock attachment as claimed in claim I wherein each of the spaced leg portions of the frame member has a hole therethrough for receiving fastening means to secure the frame member to the case.

3. A handle lock attachment as claimed in claim 1 wherein the leg portions of the frame member are in substantially equally distant relationship respectively to opposite ends of the aperture when the frame member is mounted on the case.

4. A handle lock attachment as claimed in claim I wherein the fastening means insertable through the aligned holes is a screw.

5. A handle lock attachment as claimed in claim 4 wherein one of the alignable holes in the planar portion of the frame member and the one leg portion of the handle locking member is threaded and the screw is threadedly receivable therein. 

1. For use with an electric circuit breaker including an elongated molded case having an elongated aperture therein extending longitudinally thereof and an operating handle pivotally mounted in the case and extending outwardly thereof through the aperture, a handle lock attachment comprising a frame member having an elongated planar portion and a pair of spaced leg portions extending from one side thereof substantially at right angles thereto adjacent opposite ends thereof, each leg portion being securable to the casE to mount the frame member thereon with the leg portions extending transversely thereof and disposed respectively on opposite sides of the aperture and with the planar portion disposed adjacent and generally parallel to the path of movement of the operating handle, a generally Lshaped handle locking member having a pair of leg portions extending substantially at right angles to each other, a free end portion of one leg portion of the handle locking member being pivotally secured to one end portion of the planar portion of the frame member on the one side thereof from which the pair of spaced leg portions extend and the other leg portion of the handle locking member being disposable in interfering relationship with operation of the operating handle when the frame member is mounted on the case, the planar portion of the frame member having first hole and the one leg portion of the handle locking member having a hole aligned with the first hole in the planar portion when the frame member is mounted on the case and the other leg portion of the handle locking member is disposed in the interfering relationship with operation of the operating handle, and fastening means insertable through the holes when they are aligned to thereby secure the other leg portion of the handle locking member the interfering relationship with operation of the operating handing when the frame member is mounted on the case, the planar portion of the frame member having a second hole for receiving a hasp of a padlock to more positively secure the other leg portion of the handle locking member in the interfering relationship with operation of the operating handle when the frame is mounted in the case.
 2. A handle lock attachment as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of the spaced leg portions of the frame member has a hole therethrough for receiving fastening means to secure the frame member to the case.
 3. A handle lock attachment as claimed in claim 1 wherein the leg portions of the frame member are in substantially equally distant relationship respectively to opposite ends of the aperture when the frame member is mounted on the case.
 4. A handle lock attachment as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fastening means insertable through the aligned holes is a screw.
 5. A handle lock attachment as claimed in claim 4 wherein one of the alignable holes in the planar portion of the frame member and the one leg portion of the handle locking member is threaded and the screw is threadedly receivable therein. 